Blending Red Wine
Bordeaux, Rhone, Italian, and New Age Wine Blends
Provisions & Libations covers blending wine and what that means regarding Bordeaux, Rhone, New Age Blends, and Italian Wines.
- Bordeaux blends Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot.
- Rhone blends are comprised of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre.
- New Age Blends uses a combination of any varieties in their wine blends.
- Italian blends like Chianti and Super Tuscan are made with fruit from the Tuscany Region of Italy, blending Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and Sangiovese.
Not all blended wines are equal, but a perfectly blended wine is complex in which the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The practice of blending different varietals to create a particular style of wine is hardly new. For centuries, winemakers have honed their skills and techniques. Listen to this informative Podcast as our host, Robin Bogue, talks about the nuances that make these beautiful and interesting wines.
Episode #48
The Blending Lab, Paso Robles, CA
I had the opportunity to attend a wine blending class with Ellery at The Blending Lab in Paso Robles. As we tasted the wines, we studied the color, clarity, body, sweetness, and acidity of the three wines used for the blending trial. I had guessed 1 of the three wines correctly, was close to one of the others, and completely missed the third. Grenache is a family favorite and easy for me to identify. Petite Sirah was my guess for wine number two, but it was a Petit Verdot. And the final wine was Malbec, and I first guessed Zinfandel and then switched to Syrah. I created two blends using a 15 |12|10 ratio on the first wine and then 33|33|33 for the second wine. I had a great time as a winemaker for an hour and a half and look forward to going again.
To learn more about The Blending Lab, corporate events, and private blending sessions, contact them at thewineblendinglab.com and ask for Ellery.
Los Angeles 5151 W. Adams Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90046 323-424-4051 info@thewineblendinglab.com
Paso Robles 618 12th St, Paso Robles, CA 93446 805.369-2026 info@thewineblendinglab.com
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